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If Home Alone taught us anything, it was that Christmas was always a popular time, not just for carols and cheer, but for break and entry. Frequent absences and new gifts can tempt thieves.
Money, new electronic devices and jewellery are particularly high on a burglar’s hit list.
If you are not fully equipped with an enterprising nine-year-old and home full of home-made booby traps, you can take some simple precautions to keep your home safe this holiday season.
Unfortunately the summer months leading up to the holidays can be a hectic time and many people become complacent, leaving doors and windows open or unsecured.
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According to the 2015 ADT Secure Homes Report, 55 per cent of people had accidentally gone to bed or left home without locking up, and nearly a quarter had left home with their front door left open.
It was an important reminder for people to be vigilant about basic security, particularly in the peak holiday period when many people fall victim to break-ins.
ADT Security suggests the following 10 tips for people looking to avoid being targeted by burglars this festive season:
- Don’t post pictures of gifts on social media, and don’t post your whereabouts, particularly when away on holidays.
- Make the home look like someone is there, even if it’s empty. This can include getting a neighbour to collect mail and put bins out on bin night; parking a car in the driveway; using timers to turn interior and exterior lights on and off at night; hanging clothes on the washing line, or leaving shoes at the front door.
- Securely lock sheds and garages so burglars can’t use the tools and ladders inside to access the home.
- Eliminate potential hiding spots by cutting back foliage around the house and install motion-sensor floodlighting.
- Even though the weather is hot, don’t leave windows open in empty rooms, especially if going out or entertaining at the back of the house.
- Never hide a key outside the home. Instead, give it to a trusted neighbour or friend.
- Don’t put Christmas trees and presents near windows that are visible to the street.
- Don’t power outdoor Christmas lights by running an extension lead back into the house through a window.
- After the holidays, don’t pile up boxes from expensive purchases outside your home.